
Foreign Alamodes and Lustrings to be imported into London only, and Notice of Quantity, &c. given to the Commissioners of the Customs; And a Licence for lading and importing to be taken from the said Commissioners.Whereas the Manufacture of Black Lustrings and Alamodes set up by the Royal Lustring Company hath
been very advantagious and beneficial to this Kingdom by imploying great Numbers of the Poor and
preventing the Exportation of our Coin for purchasing of those Commodities in Foreign Parts And whereas
notwithstanding the several Laws  for the Incouragement of the said Manufacture and for the preventing the
Importation of such Foreign Silks without paying the Duties charged thereon great Quantities of the said Foreign
Silks have been brought into this Kingdom without paying any Duty or Custom for the same by means whereof
the said Royal Lustring Company have been very much discouraged in the carrying on the said Manufacture For
Remedy whereof and that the said Company may have all due Incouragement to enable them to proceed in so
good an Undertaking be it enacted and it is hereby enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty by and with the
Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in this present Parliament assembled and
by the Authority of the same That from and after the First Day of July in the Year of our Lord One thousand six
hundred ninety & eight no Foreign Silks called or known by the Name of Alamodes or Lustrings shall be
imported or brought into any Port or Place whatsoever within the Kingdom of England Dominion of Wales or
Town of Berwick upon Tweed other than the Port of London only and that Notice shall be given to the
Commissioners or Chief Managers of the Customs in the said Port of London for the Time being of the Quality
and Quantity with the Marks Numbers and Package of all such Silks intended to be imported with the Name of the
Importer and the Name of the Ship and her Burthen and the Name of the Master or Commander on which they
are to be laden and the Place or Port where the same are to be shipped or taken on board and a Licence shall be
taken under the Hands of the Commissioners or Chief Managers of the Customs in the said Port of London for
the Time being or any Three of them for the lading and importing of the same as aforesaid which Licence they
are hereby authorized and required to grant without any Fee or Reward or any other Charge to the Persons
demanding the same.
II. 
Entry without Fee before Goods delivered; Silks unduly imported, forfeited, and seized and sold, and exported, according to 8 & 9 W. III. c. 36.
And for the better preventing the fraudulent Importation of such Silks without paying the Duties which are or
shall be due and payable for the same Be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the Commissioners or Chief
Managers of the Customs in the said Port of London for the time being shall and are hereby authorized and
required from time to time to mark and seal or cause to be marked and sealed all such Alamodes and Lustrings
which from and after the said First Day of July be imported according to the the Directions of this Act and to
keep or cause to be kept an Entry or Registry thereof in the Custom-house in the said Port of London in a
Book to be provided for that purpose only which said Entry or Registry shall be made without any Fee or Reward
before the said Goods be delivered out of the Custom-house Ware-house And in case any of the said Silks shall
be imported or brought into any Port or Place whatsoever within this Realm other than the Port of London or
shall be imported without such Notice first given and Licence taken out as aforesaid and the Duties paid for the
same or shall not be so sealed & marked as aforesaid such Silks or the full Value thereof shall be forfeited And
all such Silks  shall be seized and forfeited by virtue of this or any former Act shall be sold and exported and
the same Rules and Methods shall be observed in the selling and exporting thereof as are mentioned and contained
in an Act made in the Eighth and Ninth Years of the Reign of His present Majesty intituled An Act for the
further encouragement of the Manufacture of Lustrings and Alamodes within this Realm.
III. 
And for the better preventing the Importation of the same in relation to Silks therein directed to be exported
and all and every Person and Persons whatsoever who shall import bring or convey or cause or procure to be
imported brought or conveyed into the Kingdom of England Dominion of Wales or Town of Berwick upon Tweed
any Alamodes or Lustrings contrary to the true Intent and Meaning of this Act or who shall knowingly receive
or take the same into his her or their House Ware-house Custody or Possession or shall sell barter or offer to
sale or cause to be sold or bartered or offered to sale any such Foreign Silks so fraudulently imported and all
and every their Aiders Abetters and Assistants knowing thereof shall forfeit and lose the Sum of Five hundred
Pounds.
IV. 
Penalty and Incapacity; Seamen or other Persons informing; Reward and Discharge from the Service, and Certificate for Wages
.
			
And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That if any Commission or Warrant Officer or other
Person who now is or hereafter shall be in the Service of His Majesty His Heirs or Successors and shall have
the Command or Charge of any Ship or Vessel whatsoever shall import bring send or convey or cause procure
or suffer to be imported brought sent or conveyed or take or load on board any Alamodes or Lustrings in order
to be imported into this Kingdom or shall unship or suffer to be unshipt into any Barge Hoy Boat or other
Vessel any such Silks knowing thereof he shall over and above the Forfeitures and Penalties to which he is liable
by this or any other Act be ipso facto rendred incapable of serving His Majesty His Heirs and Successors either
by Sea or Land or of having or receiving any Benefit or Advantage which he shall or may be intituled to by
virtue of such Service And if any Seaman Marriner or other Person or Persons whatsoever belonging or which
shall belong to any Ship or Vessel shall discover any Alamodes or Lustrings which shall be imported brought
sent or conveyed in any Ship or Vessel whatsoever into this Kingdom or which shall be unshipt into any Barge
Hoy Boat or other Vessel either at Sea or in any Harbour Creek or Bay in this Kingdom in order to be imported
contrary to the true Intent and Meaning of this Act such Person or Persons making such Discovery shall (over
and above such Part of the Forfeitures and Advantages to which he or they shall be intituled by virtue of this
Act) be immediately discharged from his or their Service on board such Ship or Vessel if he or they shall desire
the same And the Captain or Master of such Ship or Vessel shall immediately give him or them a Ticket or
Tickets Certificate or Certificates which shall intitle him or them to all the Wages due to him or them for his
or their Service on board such Ship or Vessel.
V. 
Penalty £500 and Pillory; Having in Possession, &c. Silks marked with counterfeit Marks, &c; Forefeiture of Goods and Penalty £100; Persons authorized by Writ of Assistance, &c. may in the Day-time enter Houses, &c. and seize Silks unduly imported; and may break open Doors, &c; Justice of Peace to grant Warrant on Oath of Suspicion; In Questions whether Silks are Foreign or unduly imported, onus probandi on Claimant, &c.
And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That if any Person or Persons whatsoever shall alter
counterfeit or misapply any or either of the Seals or Marks now used or which shall or may be used at the
Custom house for the sealing and marking Alamodes and Lustrings according to the Directions in this or any
other Act or which now are or shall be used by the said Royal Lustring Company for the marking and sealing
the Goods made or which shall be made by them the Offender and Offenders and all and every their Aiders
Abetters and Assistants shall for every such Offence forfeit and lose the Sum of Five hundred Pounds and shall
be adjudged to stand in the Pillory in some publick Place for the Space of Two Hours And all and every Person
and Persons who shall buy or sell or have in his her or their Custody or Possession any Alamodes or Lustrings
which are or shall be sealed or marked with a counterfeit Seal or Mark or which shall have any Seal or Mark
used or to be used at the Custom-house or by the Royal Lustring Company thereunto affixed or putt which
hath not been affixed and put thereto at the Custom-house or by the said. Company knowing thereof and not
discovering the same shall forfeit the Goods so sealed or marked and also the Sum of One hundred Pounds And
for the better discovering and seizeing of the said Silks so fraudulently imported or not sealed and marked
according to the Directions in this Act or which shall be sealed or marked with any Counterfeit Seal or Mark
as aforesaid It shall and may be lawful to and for any Person or Persons whatsoever authorized by Writ of
Assistance under the Seal of His Majesties Court of Exchequer or with a Constable or other publick Officer
inhabitting near unto the Place with a Warrant from a Justice of Peace and in the Day time to enter and go
into any House Shopp Cellar Ware-house or Room or other Place whatsoever to search for and seize any Alamodes
or Lustrings imported contrary to this or any other Act or not sealed and marked as aforesaid or which be sealed
or marked with any Counterfeit Seal or Mark and in case of Resistance to break open Doors Chests Trunks and
other Package whatsoever there to seize and from thence to bring to His Majesties Warehouse any of the said
Silks so fraudulently imported or not sealed and marked as aforesaid And every Justice of the Peace is hereby
impowred and required to grant such Warrant to any credible Person or Persons makeing Oath that he or they
have reason to suspect or beleive that there are some of the said Silks so fraudulently imported or not sealed
and marked as aforesaid or which are sealed or marked with some counterfeit Seal or Mark in the  Places
which he or they intend to search And if any Question Dispute or Doubt shall arise whether any such Silks as
aforesaid imported found seized received sold bartered or offred to sale or barter as aforesaid or any Part thereof
were made or manufactured in Parts beyond the Seas or whether the same were imported contrary to the true
Intent and Meaning of this Act the Proof shall be incumbent only upon the Importer Claimer Owner Proprieter
Seller Barterer or such Person or Persons in whose Hands or Custody the said Silks shall be found respectively
and not upon the Informer Seizer or Prosecutor.
VI. 
Officers of Customs conniving at Offences or Informer unduly delaying to prosecute; Penalty and Incapacity.
And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all Officers belonging to the Customs and all Sheriffs
Mayors Bayliffs Constables and other Officers shall be aiding and assisting in the effectual Execution of this Act
And that if any Officer or Person of or belonging to the Customs shall willingly or knowingly connive at the
fraudulent Importation delivering receiving buying or selling of any Alamodes or Lustrings contrary to the true
Meaning of this Act or if such Officer or any Informer or other Person or Persons  upon or by virtue or
by Means of this Act or any other Act and shall by Fraud or Collusion desist or delay the Prosecution to
Condemnation of the said Silks or any Part thereof after Seizure or Stay of the same or the Prosecution of any
Person or Persons for any Offence against this or any other Act relating to the fraudulent Importation of such
Silks or the not stealing or marking such Silks imported he or they so desisting or delaying shall forfeit and
loose the Sum of Five hundred Pounds and be incapable of holding any Office or Imployment under His Majesty
His Heirs and Successors.
VII. 
Penalty.
Provided always and be it hereby enacted by the Authority aforesaid That for the more effectual Prosecution
of the Offences and Offenders against this Act all and every Person and Persons whatsoever that shall be convicted
for any Offence against this Act or any other Law relating to Alamodes or Lustrings and shall afterwards
offend a Second or any more time or times such Person and Persons (after Conviction) shall so often as he or
they shall so offend forfeit and pay double the Sum inflicted or imposed by this Act.
VIII. 
Capias in the first Process, specifying; Amount of Penalty sued for.; Bail to be given to Officer serving Process; and, on Appearance, Security for Penalties
.
			
And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all and every Person and Persons who shall be
guilty of any Offence or Offences contrary to the true Intent and Meaning of this Act or any other Act relating
to Alamodes or Lustrings shall and may be prosecuted for any such Offence or Offences in any Action Suite or
Information and thereupon a Capias in the first Process specifying the Sum of the Penalties sued for shall and
may issue And such Person or Persons shall be obliged to give good and sufficient Bail and Security by natural
born Subjects Persons naturalized or Denizens to the Officer serving or executing the Writt or Process on or
against him her or them to appear in the Court out of which such Writt or Process shall issue at the Day of
the Return of such Writt or Process to answer such Suit or Prosecution and shall at the Time of such Appearance
give sufficient Bail or Security by such Persons as aforesaid in the said Court to answer and pay all the Forfeitures
and Penalties incurred for such Offence or Offences in case he she or they shall be convict thereof or to yeild
his her or their Bodies to Prison.
IX. 
and recovered.
And for the Incouragement and better enabling all such (whether Officers of the Customs or others) that shall
effectually put this Act in Execution It is hereby further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all the Penalties
and Forfeitures hereby or by any former Law relating to Alamodes or Lustrings given or imposed or which shall
arise or accrew in respect thereof or for the importing conveying delivering receiving buying or selling of any
Alamodes or Lustrings shall be distributed and divided in manner following (that is to say) Two third parts
thereof to His Majesty His Heirs and Successors and the remaining Third part to such Person or Persons as shall
seize or sue for the same the Charge of which Suite & Prosecution shall be borne by His Majesty His Heirs and
Successors out of His Majesties part of the said Forfeitures and Penalties Any Law Statute Custom or Usage to
the contrary notwithstanding And further it shall and may be lawfull for any Person or Persons to sue for and
prosecute and to recover the Forfeitures and Penalties inflicted or imposed by this present Act  relating to
Alamodes or Lustrings by Action of Debt Bill Plaint or Information in any of His Majesties Courts of Record at
Westminster wherein no Essoign Protection Priviledge or Wager of Law shall be allowed or more than one
Imparlance And that all and every Person and Persons that shall seize or stay any of the said Silks or prosecute
any of the Offences or Offenders against this or any other Act relating to Alamodes or Lustrings may lay his or
their Information or Action and try the same in such Place or Places and use such and the like Method and
Course of Proceedings in prosecuting and condemning of the said Silks as are have been or may be used in or
about the seizing condemning or prosecuting of any Goods or Commodities for Non payment of Customs or other
Duties or any Person or Persons for offending against any of the Laws or Statutes relating to the Customs.
X. 
And for the avoiding of Fraud and Delay in prosecuting to Condemnation such Silks seized as aforesaid by
entring vexatious Claims thereto Be it further enacted That before any Person or Persons shall be admitted to
enter a Claim to any of the said Silks he she or they shall be obliged to give good and sufficient Security by
Recognizance to be entred into before one of the Barons of the Court of Exchequer or some Judge of the Court
where such Claim shall be entred to answer and pay the Penalties and Forfeitures incurred by virtue of this Act
with full Costs of Suit upon a Tryal or other Determination in Law a Virdict shal pass or Judgement shall be
entred for the Plaintiff And in case default shall be made in giving such Security within the time limitted by the
Rules of the Court for entring Claims then the said Goods shall be adjudged forfeited and Judgment entred
accordingly.
XI. 
In Actions for executing Act; General Issue may be pleaded; Treble Costs.
And for the preventing of Disputes touching this Act Be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the
same and every Clause and Thing therein contained shall be deemed adjudged and taken to be a General Law
and that it shall and may be lawful to shew or set forth the same or any Clause thereof in Pleading and that
the same and all and every Clause therein contained shal be construed most largly and beneficially for the Advantage
of the Prosecutor and for the preventing of all the Mischeifs and Abuses herein provided against and further that
if any Person or Persons shall be sued molested or prosecuted for any thing done by vertue and in pursuance of
this Act such person and persons shall and may plead the General Issue and give this Act and the Special
Matter in Evidence And if afterwards a Verdict shall pass for the Defendant or Defendants or the Plaintiff shall
discontinue his Action or be nonsuited or Judgment shall be given against him upon Demurrer or otherwise then
such Defendant or Defendants shall have Treble Costs to him or them awarded against such Plaintiff.
XII. 
Provided always That all Informations Actions and Suits to be brought by any Informer for any Offence
against this Act shall be brought and commenced within Two Years after the Offence committed Any former Act
to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding.
XIII. 
and that the said Company had brought the said Manufacture to Perfection, but that they had been obstructed in the Enjoyment thereof.; The said Company constituted a Body Corporate, by the Name of the Royal Lustring Company.
And whereas the Kings most Excellent Majesty together with the late Queen (of blessed Memory) by their
Letters Patents or Charter under the Great Seal of England bearing Date the Fifteenth Day of October in the
Fourth Year of their said Majesties Reign reciting or taking Notice that severall Persons therein named did obtain
the late King James the Seconds Letters Patents bearing Date the Three and twentieth Day of November in the Fourth
Year of His Reign for the sole Use Exercise and Benefit of a new Invention of making dressing and lustrating
of Silks called Plain Black Alamodes Renforcez and Lustrings for the Terme of Fourteen Years from the Day of
the Date of the said Letters Patents Their said Majesties did for the encourageing so commendable  Undertaking
give grant constitute declare and appoint Thomas Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery and several other Persons in
the said Charter mentioned and contained and such others as should be admitted into their Society to be from
thenceforth One Body Corporate and Politick in Deed and in Name by the Name of the Royal Lustring Company
for making and dressing Alamodes Renforcez and Lustrings in England and by that Name to have perpetual
Succession and divers and sundry Priviledges Liberties Powers and Authoritys with other Matters and Things in the
said Charter of Corporation mentioned and expressed were thereby granted to and vested in the said Company and
their Successors in such Sort Manner and Forme as in and by the said Charter or Letters Patents or Inrollment
thereof is mentioned and expressed and as thereby more fully appears and forasmuch as the said Company have
with great Labour and Charges brought the said Manufacture to Perfection but by reason of the fraudulent
Importation of Alamodes and Lustrings by divers Persons more regarding their own Interest then the Welfare of
England their Duty to the King and Obedience to the Laws of the Land the said Company have not enjoyed
the Benefit and Advantage intended them in and by the said Charter but wasted their Time and Stock in
contesting with many Difficulties and Obstructions which they have met with since the granting thereof and it
appearing that the said Manufacture cannot be so well carryed on and secured to this Kingdom by any other
Means as by establishing a Company to carry on the same Be it therefor enacted by the Authority aforesaid That
the aforesaid Company and their Successors shall and may  from thenceforth  stand continue and be a Body
Politick and Corporate in Deed and in Name by the Name of the Royall Lustring Company and that the said
Company and their Successors shall and may have do use exercise and enjoy all and singuler the Liberties
Priviledges Powers Authorities Matters and Things in the said Letters Patents or Charter of Corporation  mentioned
to be granted to them as amply fully and largly to all Intents Constructions and Purposes as if the same were
Word for Word recited and set down at larg in this present Act.
XIV. 
And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the said Royal Lustring Company and their Successors
shall and may have and enjoy the Sole Use Exercise and Benefit of making dressing and lustrating of Plain Black
Alamodes Renforcez and Lustrings within the Kingdom of England Dominion of Wales and Town of Berwick
upon Tweed for and during the Term of Fourteen Years to be reckoned and accounted from the Four and
twentieth Day of June One thousand six hundred ninety eight and from thence to the end of the next Sessions
of Parliament Any thing in the said Letters Patents made and granted by the late King James or in the said
Letters Patents or Charter of Corporation made and granted by His present Majesty and the said late Queen or
any Law or Statute to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding.
XV. 
The said Company empowered to import 17 Bales of Silk, before 29th Sept. next.
And whereas the said Royal Lustring Company have Seventeen Bails of Fine Italian Thrown Silk in Amsterdam
which was bought thither over Land before  Conclusion of the Peace and were designed to be imported into this
Kingdom to be used in the Manufacture of Alamodes and Lustrings but by reason of several Difficulties and
Obstructions which the said Company have mett with in the said Manufacture the said Silk could not be imported
within the time limitted by Law for Importation thereof Be it therefore enacted by the Authority aforesaid That
it shall and may be lawfull to and for the said Company to import into this Kingdom the aforesaid Seventeen
Bails of Silk at any time before the Twenty ninth Day of September next they paying the Duties to His Majesty
which by Law are to be paid for the same Any Law or Statute to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.